Thanks to WiFi, I bet your laptop doesn't even have an ethernet port anymore. WiFi is great but know when to call in the WiFi experts.
My Macbook Pro doesn't have an ethernet port.
Of course, Apple devices tend to push the envelope a bit more than Windows machines, so as each Mac device gets more and more pricey, the number of ports seems to be shrinking.
We can of course thank both faster and faster USB-C and of course wireless for this trend.
WiFi is everywhere -- it just works. Except. When. It. Doesn't.
If your home or office is small (< 1,500 square feet) just about any WiFi solution will "get the job done".
However, there are a handful of scenarios to be mindful of when deploying "wifi" to your network. In any of these circumstances, you will want to consider having an experienced team conduct a wireless audit of your location:
Your location is larger than 1,500 square feet
Your location has lots of "wireless neighbors"
Your location has "special circumstance" such as tall shelving full of product, aka a warehouse
Your location needs to support multiple, distinct "networks" for different teams and or "guests"
A network survey is helpful to get an "intended" performance, rather than just a "yeah, it should be fine" experience.
The top 5 things to consider when deploying a wireless network:
1. Integrate your wireless security into your organization's Identity Management. You don't want to have a "wifi password" which you need to change everytime someone on the team quits or is terminated.
2. Have a reliable and tested ethernet cable run to ALL of your Access Points (WAPs). Don't wire some and "extend" the others via some wireless mechanism.
3. Use Power over Ethernet (PoE) connections to make wiring your devices easy and also making it easier to "reboot" your devices. Remember, your devices are likely to be deployed in hard-to-reach places.
4. Include an isolated "Guest" network. Always. Never allow guests on to your corporate network.
5. Know when you need a wireless expert and when you can get away with a simple wifi experience. If you're running a business in professional office space, you need a professional network.
WiFi is great. Using it is simple. Managing it is not always so simple. navitend has been designing and deploying wireless networks for over 20 years. Let us help.
Contact us at 973.448.0070